Flame regulation valve combined with fill valve for liquefied gas lighter



March 10, 1970 SEIICHI KITABAYASHI 3,499,719

FLAME REGULATION VALVE COMBINED WITH FILL VALVE FOR LIQUEFIED GAS LIGHTER Filed March 28, 196B R I TO RN EYS United States Patent f 3,499,719 FLAME REGULATION VALVE COMBINED WITH FILL VALVE FOR LIQUEFIED GAS LIGHTER Seiichi Kitabayashi, 2-2381, Nishisugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Mar. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 716,840 Claims priority, application Japan, Mar. 29, 1967,

42/ 19,666; Apr. 6, 1967, 42/22,!83

Int. Cl. F23d 13/04 US. Cl. 431-344 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present valves are attachable to the fuel reservoir of liquefied gas lighters and provide for flame regulation as well as fill valves for adding fuel to said fuel reservoirs and exhausting gas in said reservoir before or during the filling of the reservoir with fuel.

An object of the present invention is to provide valve means which serve a purpose of flame regulation valves for liquefied gas lighters and which can also be used for fill valves for the same and by which means a desired amount of fuel can be filled easily in a fuel reservoir by means of exhausting gas accumulated in said reservoir prior to or during filling operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide valve means for liquefied gas lighters such as described above by which valve means liquefied gas fuel to be filled in said reservoir can be separated well from exhaust gas.

And, another object of the present invention is to provide valve means for liquefied gas lighters such as described above which valve means are simple in structure but are smooth in action.

Still another object of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

A valve for liquefied gas lighter according to the present invention comprises a fixed cylindrical member 1 for being fixed to a wall of a fuel reservoir of a liquefied gas lighter, a movable valve stem extending through said member 1 and receiving an upward stress of a valve spring 4, said valve stem 5 being provided with an axial bore 3 extending from burner 2 to side orifices 6, means for discharging gas from said burner 2 through a fiame regulation valve having regulation means for controlling a short axial stroke of said valve stem 5 at an upward position of said valve stem and means for introducing liquefied gas fuel through said axial bore 3 and an exhaust valve for exhausting gas accumulated in said lighter fuel reservoir, said fixed cylindrical member 1 having an annular bottom plate 7 provided with a center bore 23, said valve stem 5 extending through said center bore 23 and having an annular block 9 or 9 at the lower end thereof, said flame regulation valve and fill valve having in common a porous and resilient valve member 11 or 11' encasing said valve stem 5 therethrough and being loeated between said bottom plate 7 and said annular block 9 or 9', said exhaust valve having an annular resilient ring 8 or 8' fixed to said fixed member 1 and encasing closely said valve stem 5 therethrough, said valve stem 5 having a notch provided axially on said valve stem 5, said notch 10 communicating the upper face of said annular resilient ring 8 or 8 with the lower face of the same ring at a downward position of said valve stem, said side orifices 6 being to be in alignment with said bottom plate 7 or to be located above the same bottom plate 7 at an upward position of said valve stem, and said side orifices 6 being to be located above or below said bottom plate 7 at a downward position of said valve stem 5.

The effects and advantages of the present invention will 3,499,719 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 be apparent by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a vertical view of an embodiment of the present invention at a position of firing in which the flame regulation valve is in a position in operation.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same embodiment shown in FIG. 1 at a filling position in which the fill valve and the exhaust valve are open.

FIG. 3 is a vertical view of another embodiment of the present invention at a position of firing in which the fiame regulation valve is in a position in operation.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the same embodiment shown in FIG. 3 at a filling position in which the fill valve and the exhaust valve are open.

In the drawings, same numerals refer to substantially same members. In FIG. 1, a valve according to the present invention is shown in its position for firing. And, 1 is a cylindrical fixed member which has a mouth brim 20, a bottom plate 7 provided with a center bore 23, and a short cylindrical skirt 21, and which is provided with screw threads 24 on the outer side and screw threads 24a on the inner side. 25 is an annular resilient gasket to be attached to a wall of a lighter fuel reservoir, and to be locked thereto by a screw nut screwed in said screw threads 24. A valve stem 5 extends loosely through center bore 23 of said fixed member bottom plate 7. 10 is a notch provided axially on valve stem 5. Said notch has an axial length longer than the axial thickness of resilient ring 8. Valve stem 5 has a brim 12 and a threaded annular block 9 screwed in threads 26 provided on said valve stem lower end. 11 is a valve member of a porous and resilient material such as polyurethane resin, which valve member is fixed to valve stem 5 by screw threads 26 and abuts on the upper face of block 9 as apparent in FIG. 2. 8 is an annular resilient ring put on said fixed member bottom plate 7. The ring 8 encases valve stem 5 closely therethrough and axial motion thereof is limited by a washer 19 put on an annular shelf provided on the fixed member 1 inner side in cooperation with said fixed member bottom plate 7. 13 is a regulation wheel which has a threaded cylindrical skirt screwed in screw threads 24a on the fixed member inner side. The top plate lower face of said regulation wheel 13 engages brim 12 of valve stem 5. A valve spring 4 is inserted between brim 12 of valve stem 5 and said Washer 19 so as to exert axial force on valve stem 5 and to fix washer 19.

In FIG. 1, valve stem 5 receives an axial force of valve spring 4 and is at an upward position. In this upward position, valve member 11 is forced against the bottom face of the fixed member bottom plate 7 by block 9. Accordingly, valve member 11 is compressed so as to have a high density texture.

The upper space in the fuel reservoir communicates through valve member 11, center bore 23, side orifices 6, axial bore 3 and burner 2 with outer space of the lighter ease. Accordingly, gas under pressure in the fuel reservoir is discharged from burner 2 through compressed narrow passages in the valve member 11, and a flame 27 is provided at burner at firing. Arrows A refer to gas entering into valve member 11. When regulation wheel 13 is turned manually and screwed in fixed member 1, block 9 is lowered, and the distance between the block 9 upper face and the fixed member bottom plate 7 lower face increases. Accordingly, the density of texture of valve member 11 decreases so as to effect increase in flow of gas passing therethrough and in dimension of flame 27. On the contrary, when regulation wheel is screwed out of the fixed member 1, brim 12 moves upwards by a stress of valve spring 4 together with valve stem 5 so as to efiect decrease in distance between block 9 and the fixed member bottom plate 7. Accordingly, the density of texture of valve member 11 increases so as to effect decrease in flow of gas passing therethrough and in dimension of flame 27. In effect, this valve member 11 and the abovemen tioned structure for varying the density of the same member provide a flame regulation valve.

When a discharge nozzle 16 of a fuel supply container engages burner 2, and valve stem 5 is pressed downwards against valve spring 4, valve stem 5 takes a downward position as seen in FIG. 2. In this downward position, valve member 11 upper face separates from the lower face of the fixed member bottom plate 7 and a wide space is provided therebetween. At the same time, side orifices 6 open to said space. Now, when liquefied gas fuel is introduced in valve stem axial bore 3 through discharge orifice 16 of a supply container, said fuel emits from side orifices 6 as referred by arrows B to the above-mentioned upper space in the fuel reservoir and said reservoir is filled with the fuel. This valve member 11 opens and closes the passage for liquefied gas fuel in cooperation with said fixed member bottom plate so as to form a fill valve.

At an upward position of valve stem 5 as shown in FIG. 1, the relation between the space enclosed in the wall of fixed member 1 in communication with the lighter case outer space and the upper space in the lighter fuel reservoir is intercepted perfectly by resilient ring 8. And. at a downward position of valve stem 5, that is a position at which said fill valve opens. the notch communicates the upper face of the ring 8 with the lower face of the same. Accordingly, the upper space in the fuel reservoir communicates through central bore 23 of said fixed member bottom plate. notch 10 and the space enclosed in said fixed member wall with the lighter case outer space. Thus, gas with pressure accumulated in the fuel reservoir upper space is discharged through notch 10 to lighter case outer space and exhausted. When liquefied gas accumulated in the fuel reservoir comes up to the level of fixed member bottom plate 7, said liquefied gas expands through notch 10 for effecting an intense emission from around burner 2. And, when this state of emission is reached the discharge orifice 16 is removed from burner 2. Then, valve stem 5 recovers said upward position and the fill valve closes. At this stage, notch 10 takes a location above resilient ring 8 and the ring 8 comes into close contact with valve stem 5 for effecting interception between the upper space in the fuel reservoir and the lighter case outer space. Thus, the ring 8 in cooperation with notch 10 forms an exhaust valve.

In the aforementioned filling operation, side orifices 6 comes to appear below the fixed member skirt 21, and liquefied gas fuel introduced from orifices 6 emits sidewards as jet flow as referred by arrows B. Thus, gas with pressure coming up for being exhausted through center bore 23 of the fixed member bottom plate is not mixed with said liquefied gas fuel. Accordingly, said liquefied gas fuel does not enter into the passage for exhausting gas so as fill fuel and exhaust gas to be separated perfectly.

In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The difference between this embodiment and that shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is as follows: An annular resilient ring 8 forming a member of said exhaust valve contacts closely with the lower face of the fixed member bottom plate 7. and is secured within a long cylindrical skirt wall 21' by an annular brim 18 projecting inwardly from said skirt wall lower end. And, side orifices 6 are to be in alignment with a porous resilient valve member 11 at an upward position of valve stem 5 as seen in FIG. 3, and said side orifices 6 are to come to appear below said valve member 11' at a downward position of said valve stem 5.

Thus, at a position of firing as shown in FIG. 3, gas in the upper space of the fuel reservoir passes through valve member 11', enters into side orifices 6 and is discharged through axial bore 3 and burner 2 so as to be fired. And, at a position of filling as shown in FIG. 4, side orifices 6 come to appear below valve member 11 and liquefied gas fuel for being filled emits sidewards from side orifices 6 as jet flows so as to be accumulated in the fuel reservoir. At this position, the upper face of ring 8 comes in communication with the lower face of the same through notch 10 in the same way as in the first embodiment of the above description. However, as the lower face of ring 8' is in contact with valve member 11', notch 10 connects a portion of valve member 11 with the space enclosed in the fixed member wall which space communicates with the lighter case outer space.

Thus, in the second embodiment of the present invention of the above description, exhaust gas can not enter directly in the center bore 23 of the fixed member bottom plate, but passes through the porous and resilient valve member 11'. However, in this position of valve, valve member 11' is free from compression by block 9', and passage composed of small pores in valve member 11' is fully open so as communication of gas therethrough to be substantially free. On the other hand, liquefied gas fuel which is being introduced in and emits from side orifices 6 has a tendency of being accompanied with fine mists which may be entrained by said exhaust gas. However, such entrainment of mists is checked by valve member 11'. In consequence, discharge of such mists from around burner 2 or from side orifice 15 provided through the side wall of regulation wheel 13 and explosive evaporation of said mists during filling operation can be prevented.

It will now be apparent that, a valve for liquefied gas lighter according to the present invention has a flame regulation valve including a porous and resilient member 11 or 11 which in cooperation with an annular block 9 or 9', serves as a fill valve for opening and closing the passage for fuel supply, and also has an exhaust valve having a resilient ring 8 or 8', such resilient ring has heretofore been used exclusively as means for interception between fuel reservoir inner and outer spaces in cooperation with a valve stem. Consequently, according to the present invention, valve means for liquefied gas lighters having a flame regulation valve, a fill valve and an exhaust valve with quite simple structures which permit easy mass production of such useful devices can be provided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a flame regulation valve combined with a fill valve for a liquefied gas lighter having a fixed cylindrical member for being fixed to a wall of a fuel reservoir of a liquefied gas lighter, a movable valve stem extending through said fixed cylindrical member, a valve spring tending to move said valve stem outwardly of said cylindrical member, said valve stem being provided with an axial bore extending from a burner opening located at the outer end of said valve stem to side orifices provided at the inner end portion of said axial bore, a flame regulation valve in communication with said valve stem axial bore, regulator means for controlling the position of said valve stem, and an exhaust valve means for exhausting gas accumulated in said fuel reservoir, the improvement which comprises said fixed cylindrical member having an annular bottom plate provided with a center bore, said valve stem extending through said center bore and having an annular block at the inner end thereof, said flame regulation valve serving as a fill valve having a porous and resilient valve member encasing said valve stem extending therethrough and located between said fixed cylindrical member bottom plate and said annular block, and an exhaust valve having an annular resilient ring fixed to said fixed cylindrical member and encasing closely said valve stem extending therethrough, said valve stem having a notch provided axially on said valve stem, said notch being for communicating the upper face of said annular resilient ring with the lower face of said valve ring at a downward position of said valve stem, said valve stem side orifices 3,499,719 5 6 being positioned for being in communication with said References Cited porous and resilient valve member at an upward posi- UNITED STATES PATENTS i i 0f 99 valve e and m! valve e f 3,234,762 2/1966 Ohm 431 344 ces positioned for being located outside sa1d cylindrical 3 277 674 10/1966 Klein at al 431 131 X member bottom plate and said porous resilient valve member at a downward position of said valve stem. EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner 

